Page 124 of Fish out of Water
Sylvia came into the kitchen and started going through my cabinets. At first I thought she was looking for glasses, but she went right past the cabinet filled with drinkware and kept on opening doors.
“This kitchen is roomy.” She moved on to the drawers. “Are you allowed to paint?”
“The walls?”
“Sure.” Sylvia pulled open the broom closet that was exactly like the one I’d been crammed into with Grant.
“I don’t know.” I grabbed a glass and poured out some milk, taking it with me to protect it from Mrs. Sherling’s Kahlua contamination. “Maybe.”
“I’ll ask Sharon when she gets back.” Sylvia went down the hall, ducking her head into the bathroom and the laundry room. “This place is nice.”
“Are you thinking of moving down here?” I took a drink of the milk as I followed her self-guided tour of my apartment.
“I’m tired of those winters up there. I want to be someplace warm.” She leaned back and wiggled her brows at me. “I want to be someplace exciting.”
I didn’t have the gumption to point out that she was the source of the excitement ninety-nine percent of the time. “I’m not sure there are any vacancies here right now, but I bet Sally would put you on a list. She loves Grant.”
“I’m thinking there’s going to be an apartment open soon.”
“Grant said he was sure Vito would be back.” I didn’t want Sylvia to worry.
I didn’t want to worry either.
Sylvia flipped on the light in my bedroom. “I wasn’t talking about Vito.” She turned toward me. “I was talking about you.” She backtracked down the hall, pulling open the doors to the laundry room. “You’ll need someone to take over your lease when you move in with Grant.”
“I’m not moving in with Grant. I’ve only known him for six days.”
Officially now. No rounding required.
“Six days is plenty.” She whipped the bi-fold doors back into place. “His Grampy proposed to me after a week.” Sylvia gave me a wink. “It’s in his DNA to move fast when he meets the right girl.” She poked me in the sternum with one pale-pink tipped finger. “And you my dear, are the right girl.”
“How do you know that?” It wasn’t that I wanted to know.
Ineededto know. Needed someone to help me figure this out.
There were many things my life left me completely unprepared for. Most of them I could figure out on my own with a little bit of thought and maybe some internet-based research.
Like that guy who asked me if I was into pegging.
That was when I learned not to do research during my lunch hour on my cell phone.
In a room full of landscapers.
With the volume on.
“I know that because I saw Grant act like a somewhat responsible person when the woman he was dating before you showed up at his office.”
“Valentina?” The name whooshed free, along with all the air from my lungs.
“That’s the one.” Sylvia went back out into the kitchen to grab a glass for herself. “Gorgeous girl.” She poured some milk into the glass, leaving plenty of room at the top, most likely for the Kahlua Mrs. Sherling went to get. “Very classy.” Sylvia held one hand to her middle. “Legs up to here.”
It was super great to hear how beautiful and classy the woman Grant dated before me was. Made this night even more fun for me. “She was at Grant’s office?”
“Yup.” Sylvia nodded her head. “And he told her he met someone.” She poked me again. “You.”
The upset brewing in my belly eased the smallest bit. Hearing Grant say he wanted to date only me was one thing.
Knowing he meant it was something else.
